Desperation
by Ireland Ranger
Summary: "You must be truly desperate to come to me for help..." Based off the Thor 2 trailer. Loki and Thor have a conversation in his prison cell. Oneshot. Could turn into a story someday...


**Desperation**

The trial had gone smooth and was surprising emotionless considering the fact that both his Mother and Thor had been present. Odin, being Odin, had scarcely shown a care for his way-ward son, keeping his face calm. But anyone could see that it was a glamor to cover up his seething rage. As the King of Asgard, he was required to keep himself cool, shouting and other punishment could be meted out later in the privacy of the dungeons. And it had been, just as vicious and unloving as always.

Though the months had turned over each other in the long coil of time, Loki saw little of the change from within his cell. His sentence, years of isolated imprisonment, had indeed taken a bite out of his mind and body. For no longer was he trusted with reading materials of any kind, for fear that he may somehow put it to his own knowledge and manage escape. The guards never spoke to him beyond orders, and even that was rare, so no outside news ever came to him, leaving him dry as a leaf in summer.

In the hours of hunger and deafening silence, Loki had cursed all that had ever been in every language he knew. He had rehearsed his hatred towards his so called 'family', lying to himself when he said it never hurt. He was trying to prove himself strong, yet his abused and enclosed feelings were ever pounding for escape. He couldn't help but feel betrayed.

Loki, known on Midgard as the 'God of Lies', had been lied to on a vast scale. So much so that he would never forgive and never forget what knives had been stabbed through his soul without remorse. Yet even now, after striving to show that he could indeed rule a planet, he was snapped at with ferocity unhinged. Now he no longer cared, now he simply wanted to hurt as he had been hurt. And do it well.

Odin had told him so very many white lies, calling him son, loved, wanted and being of Asgard. He called him of the 'gods', going so far as to strip him of his very race and identity. Sure, he had been abandoned as a small child in the snow, but that was beside the point. Odin had sworn that his plans as using Loki as a pawn had been erased, never to be thought of again.

Another lie for the records, as Loki knew it would be.

He had been less then surprised when Thor suddenly came into his desolate, color-craven world of endless silence. He knew why he had come, as it was all over his face. He needed help and only Loki could give it. The sting was expected, but it still bite him deep within the flesh of his pounding heart.

Just a stolen relic...

He did not look up when his brother came before the glowing walls that imprisoned him so thoroughly, feeding off his own magic. He did not wish to show him the bitter agony that whelmed there within. Silence followed thickly when Thor did not speak, but Loki could feel the burning gaze looking upon him with disappointment. He inwardly scoffed. What had he done for that? Thor had done countless things in their youth without reprimand but Loki..? One little thing and he was off to prison without so much as a fly for amusement. Now this sullen silence? At long last, he could not take it after so long alone.

So he spoke, his voice firm and slightly mocking to hide his weak emotions.

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help." He stated coldly, finally raising his head, green eyes meeting blue. "I just wonder what you expect from me, now that I've come to be of good use."

Thor was dressed like the prince he was, complete with lavish cape and embroidered clothing. His hair was smooth, though long and his face and arms healthy and fit as always. Unknowingly, it all made Loki feel a little self-conscious, understanding that he was but a shadow of what he had once been. His cloths were uncomfortable and loose, his hair long, unkept and tangled horribly. Not to mention his utter skin and bones, sunken face and dulled eyes. He supposed he appeared to be the shadow of a shadow really, seeing as he never really held anyone's favor.

Thor did not entertain the jibe he was silently offered in the words his former brother spoke, instead cutting straight to the point.

"The elves have come out, daring to threaten me with the Lady Jane's life..." He paused, giving his false brother a calculating glance. "Father is once again sleeps. I am King for the time being."

Loki gave the prince a withered look.

"And what has that to do with me? I fail to see how I can be of any assistance there, oh _mighty_ king."

Thor ignored the sarcastic comment with surprising calmness, his face remaining neutral. In all the years the Mischief Maker had known him, The Asgardian had certainly held a high temper, summoning his great hammer at the slightest insult. He has changed.

"I did not mention you yet, brother." Thor stated, his eyes narrowing. "How do you know I would ask anything of you, especially after what you have done?"

Such a laughable question really. Truly, was it not obvious?

"Oh, did Odin not tell you?" Loki smirked, purposely avoiding the use of the word 'Father' in regards to the Asdardian King. He gestured around him. "Not too different from the vault and certainly less glorious, but a capable holding facility nonetheless. Apparently suitable enough to contain Asgard's sole, living relic."

His smile grew wide when the golden prince frowned deeply at the words. Clearly he did not understand what he was referring to, even knowing of Loki's true heritage. Ah, dull and brute, that much had not changed at least. He might as well help the poor fellow.

"The Casket of Winters and I are not so different, Odinson." He sneered with contempt. "Both have their uses, surely you know this. The Casket is a fine way to tame frost-bitten giants. And me? Well, you have yet to inform me of how I can be tooled. So tell me what you want, or leave, I am weary of your existence."

Now it seemed to dawn on the big fool. Thor looked at Loki with widened eyes and his lips thinning in a serious expression.

"You are not an object, Loki." He said in a low tone. "I would not have you talk of yourself in my presence like such."

A grin formed on the smaller god's lips.

"Is that an order,_King Thor_?"

"Yes."

"Very well."

"I would have you take it seriously, brother." Thor said grimly, but Loki only shrugged, not speaking.

A sigh passed from the elder's lips in a clear sign of weariness. Being the King of Asgard was no small matter and certainly far from a petty position. Loki knew that his not-brother wasn't the same as he had been from their childhood. He would take each and every matter presented to him with consideration and contemplation before judging the right course of action. In truth, it bothered Loki that Thor had not been that way when they were young. He doubted he would have had to strive for the slightest attention then.

Thor always got the best of things, even how they each had turned out in the end.

"What do you want of me?" Green eyes flickered darkly.

The blonde-haired warrior returned the gaze with surprising strength.

"Loki, I don't want to-"

"Speak, Thor!" The smaller god finally snapped, his cold face hardening. "Or leave me to my peace!"

Blue eyes glared harshly at the emerald pools, swirling with emotions that should remain hidden. It was torture in a way, seeing Thor there at all. Why hadn't Frigga come? He knew that Odin would not bar her the way to meeting her 'son', regardless of how much he had fallen. Unless, of course, he thought that Loki would say cruel, hurtful things to her, scarring her motherly love. But in truth he knew that not even that would hold her back. If she wanted to see him, she would, even if Hell were to bar the way.

But she hadn't and that stung.

Odin? Well, Odin had never approved of him in the first place. Loki had long ago stopped craving his attentions and acceptation. He wasn't going to grovel that low any longer.

"There are paths between the worlds, are there not?" Thor questioned, thankfully laying off of the bottled emotions he carried beneath his facade. "That is how you allowed the Frost Giants entrance?"

Loki gave a small smile, leaning back against the whitened wall behind him. His keen eyes looked calculatingly upon his rival sibling, glinting in the light of the cell.

"Of course." He smirked. "I am one of the most advanced sorcerers am I not? The Bifrost is but one artificially well-beaten road. However, the knowledge of any out access to the other realms was acquired by magic doers like myself. Without such help, the Bifrost would not even exist. However, there are countless numbers of hidden paths that connect the Nine Realms."

"And you know how to use all of these paths?" Thor asked, his face grave but intent.

Loki only cocked his head slightly, his emerald orbs twinkling.

"As knowledgeable as I might be, I am not unlimited. To have such understanding of every path would take at least twenty complete mortal lifetimes and that is only if you can find them. There are also the dangers of traveling these paths. Not every one is stable and many hold tracks to barbarian rouges and other dangers." He paused, grinning. "Some beings are never seen again, consumed by space and time. Others simply fall victim to space pirates and..._other_ strange things."

Brow furrowed, the golden prince -or more currently King- of Asgard stared hard at the prisoner, obviously considering the information he had been given. Loki merely maintained a neutral face, rolling his eyes from the baby blue of the other.

The silence reigned for a few irritating minutes, leaving the captive to study Thor's face. It was obviously more creased and careworn since his treachery had commenced, as the prince had surely taken the brunt of the pile upon his own back. The old Thor would not have strained himself so much over his little 'brother', but this new Thor? He just didn't know when to stop caring.

"Can you walk these roads, brother?"

Once again Loki answered with a shrug.

"Some I can run swiftly through and others I would need a magical weapon to hack through. Why does it matter?"

Blue eyes shifted, meeting green coolly. The younger god was curious as to the reasoning behind this interrogation. Thor had shown absolutely no interest in magic of any kind since Loki had discovered his ability at a young age. Since he was currently asking into the subject it probed his mind as to figure out why.

Thor remained stony, peering with great strength at his sibling.

"Can I trust you?" He finally asked, his voice cold and even. "Where I am going I will need your aid. However, I cannot let you come without some amount of trust being formed."

Loki was actually shocked at the question. Of course Thor couldn't trust him. The very fact that he had inquired almost made him laugh at the idea. It was utterly ridiculous to even consider. And releasing him to help? Surely he was joking? He looked over the prince in wonder.

The icy look in Thor's gaze however, told him otherwise.

He was serious. Dead serious. So serious in fact, that Loki had to reply and he did it with sudden anger and irritation, his tone low and dangerous.

"I will betray you." He bore his gaze into Thor's without mercy, rage and pain building in his system. "The injustice you gave me during our past has yet to be sated. Trust between us cannot exist."

Thor frowned, clearly disappointed and angry at the words. Had he thought mere months of confinement would change Loki's entire outlook on things? Was he truly so dull as to even think about letting such a dangerous criminal -family or not- out of prison? What a fool he was if he had hoped for it. It proved that he cared and Loki could not have that, no matter how it hurt his chest to think of pushing away again. It was just too much.

"I know that I have wronged you Loki." Thor finally said. "But if I cannot have you trust I at least ask that we may have a truce between us, for lives are at stake."

The dark-haired god leaned back, his long locks brushing against his neck.

"I despise you." Then he added simply. "I will betray you."

The words were simply, but carried such venom and hurt that the very light holdings of brotherly love dropped from Thor's face. Loki had struck him cold and hard, but not without stabbing what little he had left within him of love viciously. His soul curled and wept at the words but he pushed it into a prison deep within himself and silenced it. Curling his lips into a smile, he watched as Thor straightened, head back and eyes piercing, avoiding the admit of defeat.

"Then know that when you betray me, I will kill you." He stated evenly, the regal sense of a prince enveloping his form.

Loki smirked, cocking his head forward slightly.

"When do we begin?"


End file.
